Its never easy to write a blog about someone passing even if we don’t know the person, the loss of life is just sad and it never gets any easier reporting another actor or actress death. But here we are talking about the death of a another actor. Ronald Lee Ermey.

On April 15th we learn that he had passed away at the age of 74 in Santa Monica, California. The cause of death was from complications from Pneumonia.

Ermey was born in 1944 in Emporia Kansas and by the time he was 14 he and his family moved to the state of Washington where he would end up being a trouble teen. when he was arrested for the second time at the age of 17 the judge gave him two options either go to jail or join the service, well it was not a hard choice, he went and join the service where he would make the ranking of staff sergeant and after 14 months of duty he was discharged due to injures and then that’s when he started his acting career. At first he had minor roles but then he got his big break which was never suppose to happen. He was cast as Sergeant Hartman in full Metal Jacket where he was nominated for a golden globe. After that his career took off and he ended up starring in over sixty films. With his most recent film being in 2012 in the animated film Kung fu Panda: Legends of awesomeness.

In he end he may be gone but like the legends before him he won’t be forgotten. To his family, we are truly sorry for your loss and understand he will be missed by millions.

I have been stoked for Ready Player One ever since I saw the trailer for it. Everything about it appealed to me right from the start. So much so that I went out of my way to avoid any sort of spoilers. With all the nostalgia and cultural icons shown in the trailers. Wanted the surprise factor as high as it could be. Letting the hype fuel my excitement. Going in with high hopes and Ready Player One delivered on it and then some. Creating twists and turns and complex storytelling and excellent foreshadowing. As well as characters people could relate to.

Starting off with the real world was the perfect way to go. Allowing them to both explain about the Oasis and how the creator put his whole inheritance to whoever found his hidden Easter Egg. You got to see some of how tough life was for some people were, and how the Oasis became as important to them as a chance to get away from the bad parts and be who they wanted to be, and how finding that Easter Egg would be the biggest moment in not just the game or whoever found it, but would effect everyone.

To wade it’s a way to make his life better and make Oasis the way he thought it should. To the Villain Sorrento, who employees gamers to play for him, you learn as the movie goes on. He doesn’t just look at it to squeeze as much cash out of the players it can, but would in turn control the world. Then the rebels like Art3mis who does everything they can to stop him and what his company does to people in the real world.

That’s where this movie did so well. For someone such as myself who didn’t know much of the story going in. You really feel like you’re growing and learn the details along with Wade. That this may have been an escape from his reality. How much more was riding on the line in the real world.

As great as the storytelling was, big credit goes to the actors and actresses who made it all possible. Tye Sheridon was immediately likable as Wade/Parzival. As much as one wanted to pull for him at the start. Hard not to route for Olivia Cooke’s depiction of Art3mis. Wanted to see her get the win after all she had to fight through. Ben Mendelsohn was perfect as the diabolical corporate villain and Lena Waithe turning out to be Aech was a great twist.

The nostalgia and video game references were not only fun but added much more to the movie. Didn’t know what to expect next and used to get the best they could from them. The brawl pitting Gundam and Iron Giant against Mecha Godzilla was epic, Chucky as a weapon was hysterical, and The Shining level was thrilling. There was so much in this film that you’ll find something new every time you watch it.

There was one flaw and it was a minor one. Was so much fun to see the chemistry between the characters and feel they could have gotten more had they gotten more time. Stretch it into two movies or even done a trilogy. That said this is a movie that got to be seen on the big screen and done sooner then later.